Date of Award

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science Honours

School

School of Biomedical and Sports Sciences

Faculty

Faculty of Computing, Health and Science

First Supervisor

Dr Michael McGuigan

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using the session rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale to measure physical effort during different types of resistance training exercises and to examine the validity of this scale in rating the entire resistance training sessions of different workouts and intensities. Fifteen male subjects (26.7 ± 4.3 years) performed three different types of resistance training protocols. All protocols consisted of the same five exercises (bench press, back squat, bench pull, shoulder press, and leg extension) but the intensities, rest periods, and numbers of repetitions were different. The strength protocol consisted of 3 sets of 5 repetitions per exercise at a load of 90% of 1-RM of the subject with a 3-minute rest period between sets. The hypertrophy session was performed with 3 sets of 10 repetitions per exercise at 70% of 1-RM with 1-minute of rest between sets. The power session required subjects to perform at a fast lifting speed for 5 repetitions for 3 sets per exercise at 50% of 1-RM with a 3-minute rest period. The order of the sessions was also randomised. RPE was measured using the CR-10 Borg scale following the completion of each set. Session RPE was collected 30 minutes postexercise. Within-subjects repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant difference among the mean RPE and the session RPE values of both the strength and hypertrophy protocol (p≤0.05) but mean and session RPE values for the power protocol showed no significant difference. During the familiarisation session, the session RPE was measured at 5-minute time intervals for thirty minutes after the completion of the entire workout. The data of the test collected during the familiarisation session was compared between the different time intervals. It was found that there was a significant difference (p≤0.05) between the mean RPE values at the fifth minute mark and tenth minute mark when compared to the thirty minute mark. All other session RPE values showed no significant difference. It was concluded that the session RPE method appears to be an effective and valid method in monitoring different types of resistance training and a useful tool of measuring the different intensities of different resistance training session. It was also demonstrated that the session RPE taken after 30 minutes was a better indicated of the overall resistance training workout sessions and its intensities.

Share

 
COinS